Warsaw’s atmospheric Old Town, or Stare Miasto, feels centuries old, a graceful neighbourhood of open squares liked with impressive buildings… but in reality central Warsaw was so damaged by the end of WWII that much of it had to be rebuilt, and the impressive sights you see here now are a monumental rebuild that does something to suggest the energy bubbling across this proud and beautiful city. Contemporary Warsaw’s energy can be seen and felt in the impressive cultural calendar - there’s always something happening here; in its incredible museums - the variety is really something; and in its out-of-hours atmosphere. Warsaw has a great music scene, and is known for its clubs, as well as restaurants and bars. Warsaw is often spoken of as being great value too, though there are plenty of higher end accommodation options, and neighbourhoods with boutique shopping is the norm.
Warsaw’s centre, or Centrum, is where many of the city’s main attractions are. Centrum is divided into two parts, the Old Town and New Town, and these are the obvious neighbourhoods to stay in. But it’s worth considering some of the less obvious options too, because Warsaw is a city that never stops evolving, and, even if you’ve visited before, the neighbourhoods are ever changing, especially places like Powiśle and Wola.
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitte
As you can guess from the name, the Old Town is the best neighbourhood to stay in if you want to be within walking distance of Warsaw’s major historic sites and sights. Stay here are you’re close to the castle, St. John’s Cathedral, the barbican, and the main market square: Rynek Starego Miasta. The old city walls are still visible in places in the Old Town too. This is also where you’ll find the Museum of Warsaw, which tells the story of Warsaw: one of the really fascinating thing about Warsaw’s Old Town is that it isn’t the 13th century beauty it looks, but a carefully repaired version, which is an incredible feat in itself! It was rebuilt from memory and drawings - however some of the drawings involved an element of artistic license when they were created, so there’s a fascinating blend of the remembered and the projected. If you’re here as a family you might find some accommodation you like to look of along some of the narrower roads leading off the main squares? there are some beautifully converted historic buildings here, and a very good selection of aparthotels. There are some charming boutique hotels in this neighbourhood too.
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Called New Town, Nowe Miasto, or New Warsaw, this neighbourhood isn’t really new - it was established in the 15th century, and is the bit just beyond the Barbican walls. Warsaw’s New Town wasn’t repaired as meticulously as the Old Town, but it’s fascinating for that reason and more. The New Town neighbourhood has some really beautiful churches, including the baroque-style St. Kazimierz, and some beautiful, but austere monasteries and convents. The Barbican walls and the New Town Square are good places to start if you’re interested in Warsaw’s historic architecture. The Barbican is the impressively crenelated castle-looking building, now one of the few remainders of Warsaw’s historic fortifications - and a fascinating tourist attraction. As for the New Town Square, several of the New Town’s best repaired churches line its edges, and it’s a rather beautiful spot. At night the New Town hosts a music and light fountain spectacular in the Multimedia Fountain Park. Other major landmarks of the New Town neighbourhood include the Marie Curie Museum.
Powiśle is a riverside neighbourhood, just behind the Old Town. The location is incredible, but it’s never been a fancy neighbourhood, it’s always had an industrial edge, and been home to workers rather than fashionable types. That has really changed in the last decade or so, though, since the construction of an elegant waterside promenade, and the Museum of Modern Art, the Copernicus Science Centre, and the Chopin Museum. The promenade is lined with gardens and parks, and there are art installations and playgrounds. This investment has attracted hip local boutiques aplenty, and there are now lots of places to eat and drink at all times of the day and night. And the apartments going up are swankyier to say the least, but well mixed with the older buildings, so that it feels lively and developing, rather than sanitised. And the student population keeps things down-to-earth and fun in this neighbourhood. The Elektrownia Powiśle, which is the neighbourhood’s old power station, has been converted into a fun cultural space, with shops, fountains, big screen projections, and a hub atmosphere.
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Wilanów is the neighbourhood surrounding the Baroque Wilanów Palace, often referred to as the Polish Versailles. It’s not the most central neighbourhood in Warsaw, but it does have some of the most elegant architecture: a collection of graceful villas and mansions as well at the palace - which is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Despite being just ten kilometres away from central Warsaw, the Wilanów Palace survived WWII relatively unscathed, and the art and antiques you see in the palace if you visit today predate the war. The Wilanów neighbourhood’s other major sights are the Botanical Gardens and the Park of Culture, which are both within a pleasant stroll of the palace. Wilanów is also close to the Collegiate Church of St. Anne. There are a handful of local museums too, including Europe’s only Poster Museum. Wilanów doesn’t offer the easiest transport connections either, it doesn’t have a Metro station or any trams, so visitors, and locals alike, must rely on buses. And Warsaw’s families have been visiting Wilanów for Sunday outings and walks in the woods for centuries, so there are plenty of potential bus routes and walking trails. As far as accommodation goes, this neighbourhood has some charmingly converted townhouse and boutique hotels, as well as some luxurious options, and apartments to rent.
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Wola is a neighbourhood of business, commercial, and high-rises to the west of Centrum, that evolved from an old industrial area. While much of Warsaw is of historic height, here the buildings have sprung up to 50+ storeys, or 200+ metres tall. Many of these buildings have now become local landmarks, but when it comes to indoor sightseeing you might be more fascinated by the Warsaw Uprising Museum, the Train Museum - which has a great Night Market; the Warsaw Gasworks Museum, or even the Museum of the Factory? or the Museum of Wola. Wola even has a Pinball Museum. More seriously, Wola has where a large section of the Jewish ghetto survived, and some of the ghetto wall still remains. Wola has a lovely green space at Plac Europejski, which is close to the Electio Viritim Monument, and two large and impressive cemeteries. The remaining industrial pockets are fantastic places to stroll around spotting street art. There’s no Metro station in Wola, however there are good tram and bus lines. Wola is a good place for a spot of shopping, with contemporary malls being the major offering - very well stocked with it. Because Wola is a commercial hub, there are some very easy accommodation options, as well as picks more suitable for sightseers than business-folk.
Praga-Północ, or Praga North, is half of Praga, which is one of Warsaw’s oldest neighbourhoods. It used to be its own town and was absorbed into Warsaw at the end of the 18th century. This is one of the best preserved parts of Warsaw, much of it survived WWII, and the street layouts, lamps and pavements date from before the war. Which is one of the reasons this neighbourhood is becoming a popular place for visitors to stay. It’s also got a reputation for arty residents, and good food and design. Beyond the original architecture, Praga has a zoo - with famous brown bears! the Różycki Bazaar, which used to be one of the most famous bazaars in Poland, now the local shopping malls are livelier; the orthodox Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene; and a beach along the river bank, which in summer hosts DJs and volleyball tournaments. If you like a niche museum, Praga-Północ can offer you the Polish Vodka Museum, the Neon Museum, and the Praga Museum. And keep an eye out for street art.
Nowy Świat is a street rather than a neighbourhood, but it’s a long street, and a good place to be based for visitors. It translates to New World Street, and is part of the Royal Route, which is the road that leads from the Royal Castle in the Old Town, to the country residence at Wilanów. The bit called Nowy Świat runs between the Copernicus monument and Three Crosses Square, and it’s been a busy part of Warsaw since the 19th century, when it was one of the main commercial streets, packed with shops, cafes and restaurants. And while it’s changed a lot over the years, this is a good description of the street today: lined with shops, cafes and restaurants, including luxury retailers. If you like to eat well you’ll be happy on Nowy Świat, and it’s even better on the weekend, when it’s closed to vehicles. There’s a lively nightly scene around Nowy Świat too. This isn’t a stretch of road boasting a lot of official attractions, but you’re within a pleasant stroll of many of the Old Town’s treasures - and you’ll pass some fantastic street art and murals along the way. And don’t forget to look down the side streets, this is where the neighbourhood really begins.
MDM stands for Marszalkowska Dzielnica Mieszkaniowa, and is a huge, multi-use estate in central Warsaw, built after the area was so devastated by WWII. Its 66 buildings were completed in just five years, starting in 1950, and are an impressive collection - it’s certainly worth visiting the neighbourhood, even if you don’t stay here. Some of the accommodation here is within the complex, converted from residential blocks in chunks large and small.
Mokotów isn’t an obvious place to stay, or to visit while in Warsaw, but you needn’t overlook it too! especially if you’re planning to bring your family to Warsaw. To the south of Centrum, Mokotów escaped the worst of WWII’s damage, and has original gaslights, and some original buildings, as well as a collection of parks, gardens and green spaces. Park Morskie Oko is one of the largest and home to the Szuster Palace; while Park Arcadia feels like a nature reserve. It’s also got a surprisingly hip collection of bars and restaurants - considering it’s so little known. When it comes to museums and galleries, Mokotów has The Museum of Polish Military Technology and The Królikarnia Palace. And there are some great shopping opportunities too, including in the Galeria Mokotów, and Arkadia - which so one of the country’s largest shopping centres. Mokotów also has very good transport links.
